The development of brain/computer interface research, neuroprostheses and functional electrical stimulation, as well as the development of electrical equipment designed to be implanted in the body of a patient to correct a defect in a natural organ, necessitates being able to transmit the electrical energy and/or signals required by this equipment, from a source of energy or information outside the patient to the inside of this patient's body, or to collect data such as electrical signals emanating from the defective natural organ and/or electrical equipment implanted in the patient and designed to alleviate these defects.
There exist supply systems without direct equipment contact, called transcutaneous connection, that use energy transmission by transformer effect, by induction or transmission of electromagnetic microwaves.
There are also supply techniques with direct percutaneous electrical connection, some of which use a one-piece biconical device with one base affixed to a bone substrate by osteosynthetic screws, and another base outside the plane of the skin, as well as a narrow part where the plane of the skin is crossed. These hollow devices allow the passage of flexible electrical connection means located in the body to an external removable electrical socket. Other solutions cross the plane of the skin directly, generally at the abdomen, such as for example assisted circulation (cardiac) devices.
Finally, there are permanent percutaneous electrical connections (PPEC or CEPP for the French expression “Connexion électrique percutanée permanente”), arising from extraoral implantology, made up of a plate-implant which is positioned in a first surgical phase, onto which percutaneous electrical abutments are screwed in a second surgical phase, for transmission of electrical signals and/or energy and possibly mechanical abutments for mechanical support of the removable connector. This type of connection respects the recommendations and principles for installing conventional extraoral implants, which are designed to permit the skin to be crossed by support abutments for maxillofacial prostheses, so that these permanent percutaneous electrical connections are very reliable, since they arise from a proven technology.
Thus, the conventionally used surgical method for implanting such permanent percutaneous electrical connection devices consists of two surgical phases. The first phase consists of affixing a plate-implant onto a bone by using osteosynthetic screws allowing permanently fixation of the plate-implant serving as a base for the device. Once the osteosynthetic screws have been correctly integrated in the receiving bone site, after several months, the second surgical phase can be performed, during which the percutaneous abutment is positioned on the base. The external appliances will be connected to this abutment by means of a removable external connector, so as to be electrically connected through the skin with sensors and other equipment implanted permanently in the body, i.e. in the organism of the patient.
One objective of the present invention is to propose a new surgical method for implanting permanent percutaneous electrical connection devices that allows stronger anchoring of the device and improved comfort for the patient.